Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the digger was being used on a site in Newton-in-Bowland where the owners were renovating a property.

Neighbours raised the alarm when they saw the digger being loaded onto a trailer late at night.

“Smith was driving the vehicle towing the digger when police stopped them in the early hours of the morning,” said Miss Allan. “The officers accepted the explanation they gave and they were allowed to continue on their way.”

She said the vehicle was recovered but the owner had to pay £480 to get it out of the compound and for the hire of another digger while his was unavailable.

Imran Hussain, defending, said his clients accepted they had embarked on a ‘hare-brained scheme’.

“It was doomed to failure from the outset,” said Mr Hussain. “The vehicle was fitted with a tracker but also it was midnight and neighbours were suspicious when they saw and heard this machine being moved.”

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Mr Hussain said in the short term his clients, who both work in the building trade, intended to use the vehicle.

“They hadn’t thought about selling it or anything like that,” said Mr Hussain.

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Comments (8)

Oh no perish the thought,,of course they were going to sell it what else would they do with it ?l would say it was stolen to order like most plant machinery is,it is very lucrative when you consider this machine was valued at £ 18 , 000 ,,says it all really,

Oh no perish the thought,,of course they were going to sell it what else would they do with it ?l would say it was stolen to order like most plant machinery is,it is very lucrative when you consider this machine was valued at £ 18 , 000 ,,says it all really,noddy57

Oh no perish the thought,,of course they were going to sell it what else would they do with it ?l would say it was stolen to order like most plant machinery is,it is very lucrative when you consider this machine was valued at £ 18 , 000 ,,says it all really,

Score: 12

mavrick says...8:25pm Fri 7 Feb 14

I wonder how the court will view it and what sentence it gives out. Will the victim ever get his money back? These two were going to sell this digger no doubt about it.

I wonder how the court will view it and what sentence it gives out. Will the victim ever get his money back? These two were going to sell this digger no doubt about it.mavrick

I wonder how the court will view it and what sentence it gives out. Will the victim ever get his money back? These two were going to sell this digger no doubt about it.

Score: 11

woolywords says...10:26pm Fri 7 Feb 14

It's only a little, mini-digger and not a big digger, like the one in the picture, so I expect that they will only get a little sentence.

It's only a little, mini-digger and not a big digger, like the one in the picture, so I expect that they will only get a little sentence.woolywords

It's only a little, mini-digger and not a big digger, like the one in the picture, so I expect that they will only get a little sentence.

Score: 1

POW WOW says...11:04pm Fri 7 Feb 14

Bad Policing !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bad Policing !!!!!!!!!!!!!POW WOW

Bad Policing !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Score: 4

A Darener says...12:46pm Sat 8 Feb 14

Perhaps all insurance companies should insist that all vehicles are fitted with a tracking device, put pressure on manufacturers to do so. The cost of such devices would be greatly reduced if mass produced for the vehicle building industry, so would add little to the overall cost of a new vehicle.

Perhaps all insurance companies should insist that all vehicles are fitted with a tracking device, put pressure on manufacturers to do so. The cost of such devices would be greatly reduced if mass produced for the vehicle building industry, so would add little to the overall cost of a new vehicle.A Darener

Perhaps all insurance companies should insist that all vehicles are fitted with a tracking device, put pressure on manufacturers to do so. The cost of such devices would be greatly reduced if mass produced for the vehicle building industry, so would add little to the overall cost of a new vehicle.

Score: 4

Copperhead says...3:26pm Sat 8 Feb 14

I wonder, if when they were arrested, they claimed to no nothing about it telling the police " it's a plant guv, honest " ?

I wonder, if when they were arrested, they claimed to no nothing about it telling the police " it's a plant guv, honest " ?Copperhead

I wonder, if when they were arrested, they claimed to no nothing about it telling the police " it's a plant guv, honest " ?

Score: -1

Primus622 says...7:41pm Sat 8 Feb 14

Why should three owner have to pay to get hits property back....if the police had been on the ball to start with the digger need not have been in a compound...

Why should three owner have to pay to get hits property back....if the police had been on the ball to start with the digger need not have been in a compound...Primus622

Why should three owner have to pay to get hits property back....if the police had been on the ball to start with the digger need not have been in a compound...

Score: 1

Primus622 says...7:43pm Sat 8 Feb 14

Why should thre owner have to pay to get hits property back....if the police had been on the ball to start with the digger need not have been in a compound...

Why should thre owner have to pay to get hits property back....if the police had been on the ball to start with the digger need not have been in a compound...Primus622

Why should thre owner have to pay to get hits property back....if the police had been on the ball to start with the digger need not have been in a compound...

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